We walked up the street and after an ice-cream, set out in search of the Horn Island school, where the principal of the school Courtney & Anna went to in Brisbane was now working. We found the school and were told he left two days before to go back to Brisbane. Any way, it was good talking to the teacher and looking around. While we talked a large goanna made it's way along the grounds - just to point out to us that this was an outback area.
We hired a video and retired to the boat for a rest. The next day we caught the ferry over to Thursday Island. The word 'quaint' comes to mind. The town was like a mix of the Solomon's and Australia. The shops were set up to sell everything you'd need for an island lifestyle, and had a small country town look about it with large colonial style buildings. We had a really enjoyable day wandering around the town.
We lifted anchor the next day and, with the tide and current timed right, we headed out once again with four knots of current to give a us a quick start for the trip across the Gulf of Carpentaria to Gove. Once we cleared the islands of Cape York we had fabulous conditions. Lots of wind and current pushing us along at 10 knots and dead flat seas. This was caused by Cape York, now behind us acting as a break to the swell.
We approached a small island called Booby Island just west of Cape York we were called on the radio by a Coastwatch vessel. We reported our details and then saw them sitting behind the island in a ship that looked more like a warship than anything else. Customs / Coastwatch are certainly well funded and very visible in Northern Australia.
Our first night's sail went really well with lots of wind pushing us along and the seas very comfortable. We made 150 miles in the first twenty four hours and felt this was going to be a dream run. But the next day and night the sea slowly built, with both coming on our beam, which gave small waves slapping on the boat throwing spray and water about.
The last 10 hours was lousy, as we were feeling tired and sea sick as the sea became confused, probably rebounding off the western coast of the gulf. Approaching into Gove was simple and after a long run around past the bulk terminal we saw the anchorage with lots of boats on moorings off the yacht club. We anchored outside the moorings and had a lovely night's sleep. Going ashore we found the yacht really good, both in it's physical set-up and in the friendliness of the staff. We had access to showers, a laundry and BBQ facilities. The yacht club is a long way out of the town. The staff said just to hitch-hike and then said 'don't worry it's only a small town'. While we did our showering and laundry another yachtie, Michael, came up and offered us his car. Over the next few weeks we made our way into town by either hitching or using Michael's car. Often the people who picked us up hitching went a long way out of their way, with the charge being a good chat.
Gove is a bauxite mining town and the actual town is called Nhulunbuy, with the whole site on a lease from the aboriginal communities of the area. The town is quite nice with a good Woolworths and a few other shops. Courtney & Colin went on a tour of the mine and smelter which was good but very a public relations exercise.
The Gamma festival occurred just after we left which was a shame, as it is held just outside of Nhulunbuy and features art and music of the Arnhem Land area. A concert of high school bands with Yothu Yindi headlining. They are locals and have recording studios and run a trust for developing local aboriginal talent.
While we were here the annual show was on. It was a lot of fun but, surprisingly, there seemed to be hardly any aboriginal cultural events incorporated. It seemed that the aboriginal communities are not involved in the town to any great extent.
While in Gove we stocked up on fresh food and generally got ready to leave. We decided to leave Australia from here. Mainly because we felt we would not have much time in Darwin so we decided to skip it. Better to spend more time in less places. We had many a BBQ in the evenings at the yacht club and while we did this we got to know a German couple, Hans and Carole and their 6 year old Adrian. They were making their way round the world on 21 foot yacht. Must be some sort of record.
On a Friday we checked out with Customs, making our way around to the office at the main wharf to do the formalities, with the plan to leave the next morning. That night Anna was sick and held a high temperature the next day, so we put off the departure til she was better. This took til Tuesday and we finally got away and headed north to the English Company Islands. There are two large groups of islands that form the top north-east corner of NT, the Wessels and the English Company. They are low and flat with scrubby vegetation, and with the green seas and red earth, make a striking landscape. Predominately because of the fishing they are very popular cruising grounds but as remote as you can get. We found a nice looking bay and anchored for the night. The next day would take us through the 'hole in the wall', a narrow passage that cuts through the Wessel islands and is known for it's fast current of up to seven knots. 
The next day we sailed across to the Hole in the Wall and as we approached the seas rose in the 25 knots of wind we had behind us and we started to wonder if this was a good idea or not. We rounded a dog-leg in the course and could then see the passage and the water appeared calm ahead. Soon we where tearing along with two knots of current with us, which meant we'd timed the turn of tide well. A constant hand on the wheel was needed to keep movement from the eddies to a minimum as we went along the seven hundred metre long passage with the shoreline only 20 metres away on each side.
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